Home Church, Second Sunday after Pentecost, June 6, 2021, Rev. Karen Hollis

Home Church, Second Sunday after Pentecost, June 6, 2021, Rev. Karen Hollis

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Preparing the Space Around Us

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here! Welcome if you are gathering on zoom or if you are worshipping at home with the bulletin. We are one community and all part of the body of Christ. I invite you to prepare the space around you so that for the next hour you can be fully in this worship experience, not to keep out the realities of the world, rather to focus us in the midst of it all on God. If you need to go and get something or shift something around you, feel free.

Preparing the Space within Us

Let us prepare now the space within us for a time of worship. I invite you to sit quietly, perhaps with feet on the floor, taking a couple of deep breaths and bring yourself into this moment. Open yourself to the presence of God who is with us and within us . . . as you intentionally open yourself to God, open yourself also to what you need from this time of worship. 

Greeting                                                         
One:    The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, 

            and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:      And also with you     

Call to Worship  -   Iona Abbey Worship Book

One:    Thanks be to you, O God, that we have risen this day,

All:      to the rising of this life itself.

One:    Be the purpose of God between us and each purpose,

All:      the hand of God between us and each hand,

One:    the pain of Christ between us and each pain,

All:      the love of Christ between us and each love.

One:    O God, who brought us to the bright light of this new day,

All:      bring us to the guiding light of eternity.

Opening Prayer -  James G Kirk

Our souls awake, O God, to the thrill of your splendor; with our voices we praise you from dawn to dusk. We greet the new day warmed by your love for us; we rest secure in the night, comforted by the light of your Spirit. Each hour you give us is a moment of blessing, a time to rejoice and abound with new life. “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth!” Amen.

Hymn: O God Beyond All Praising  - VU #256

1 O God beyond all praising, we worship you today

and sing the love amazing that songs cannot repay;

for we can only wonder at every gift you send,

at blessing without number and mercies without end:

we lift our hearts before you and wait upon your word,

we honour and adore you, our great and mighty Lord.

2 The flower of earthly splendour in time must surely die,

its fragile bloom surrender to you our God most high;

but hidden from all nature the eternal seed is sown,

though small in mortal stature, to heaven's garden grown:

for Christ, your gift from heaven, from death has set us free,

and we through him are given the final victory.

3 Then, hear O gracious Saviour, this song of praise we sing.

May we, who know your favour, our humble service bring;

and whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill,

we'll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still:

to marvel at your beauty and glory in your ways,

and make a joyful duty our sacrifice of praise.

Prayer of Confession  - BAS

Most Merciful God,

We confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your name. Amen.

Silent prayer of confession

Assurance of Grace 

The Spirit of God comes to you today, just as you are, and in the most personal way, offers you the grace you need today. May you experience today the power of God’s grace in your own life. Thanks be to God! 

Peace of Christ 

Here in this space, even this strange house of worship, Christ gathers right where we are and offers his peace. Let us unmute and share Christ’s peace with one another.

 

            N-Z:   The Peace of Christ be with you!

            A-M:  And also with you!

 

First Reading: 1 Samuel 8:4-11, 16-20 (NRSV)  -   Tim Leadem

Listen for the word of God to you this morning . . .

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’ But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to govern us.’ Samuel prayed to the Lord, and the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’

So Samuel reported all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattle and donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the Lord will not answer you in that day.’ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us, so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’

Psalm 138 (Voices United)  - Tim Leadem

I praise you, O God, with all my heart; 

before the gods I will sing your praises.

I bow down toward you holy temple 

and praise your name for your love and faithfulness;

for you have exalted your name and your word above everything.

On the day that I called, you answered me, 

and put new strength in my soul.

All earth’s rulers shall praise you, 

when they hear the words of your mouth.

They shall sing of your ways, O God, 

sing that your glory is great.

For though you are high, you care for the lowly.

       As for the proud, you humble them from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me;

you stretch out your hand against my enemies’ rage; 

your powerful hand delivers me.

You will fulfil your purpose for me.

Your love, O God, is eternal. 

Do not leave unfinished the work of your hands.

 

Gospel Reading  - Mona Smart

One:      God be with you.       

All:        And also with you

One:      The Good News of Jesus Christ according to Mark;

All:        Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 3:20-35

And the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’ And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, ‘He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.’ And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, ‘How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

‘Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin’— for they had said, ‘He has an unclean spirit.’ Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’

One:  This is the Gospel of Christ; 

All:    Praise be to Jesus Christ

Reflection:    Rev Karen Hollis                      

Silent Reflection                                    

Affirmation of Faith   - New Zealand Prayer Book

Let us affirm our faith . . . 

You, O God, are supreme and holy.

You create our world and give us life.

Your purpose overarches everything we do.

You have always been with us.

You are God.

You, O God, are infinitely generous,

good beyond all measure.

You came to us before we came to you.

You have revealed and proved

your love for us in Jesus Christ,

who lived and died and rose again.

You are with us now.

You are God.

You, O God, are Holy Spirit.

You empower us to be your gospel in the world.

You reconcile and heal; you overcome death.

You are our God. We worship you.

Prayers of the People  -    Mona Smart

One:   To the words “God of Spirit and Strength,”    

All:      Hear Our Prayer

Lord’s Prayer -   Ecumenical Version

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, 

and the glory are yours

now and for ever. Amen.

Minute for Mission -  Pat Armstrong

Building a World Where Everyone Belongs                   

Everyone belongs; that belief anchors our United Church. It’s why your Mission & Service gifts support gatherings of people who are left on the margins of society and support education events that help us learn what we can do about it.

Disability is one aspect of social justice the United Church is working on. Did you know that one in five Canadians live with at least one disability? That’s 6.2 million people. Of these, 1.2 million can’t afford aids, devices, or prescription medications. People living with severe disabilities have half the income of those with none. Seniors are almost twice as likely to have a disability as people who are of working age.

Disability is an issue that affects us all. That’s why the United Church partners with people from other denominations to raise awareness. People like Anglican disability activist Lynda Katsuno, who is widely considered a pioneer in the field.

Lynda has lived with disability since she was in a car accident in 1973. At the time, she was a primary school teacher and loved her job working with children. After the accident, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to return to what she loved because the school wasn’t accessible. Lynda credits a committed principal and board of education superintendent for making the changes that would enable her to return to her job.

“I became a disability activist when I realized it takes political will to change society for the better. Our community is made stronger when we include people with disabilities. If people with disabilities were fully welcome, the world would be a richer place. It would be a place where there is hope and no fear,” she says.

Ideals of mutuality, inclusivity, and justice drive Lynda’s passion to make the world a better place for all. “I don’t want to be seen as a poor, pathetic person. I want to be seen as a child of God,” she says.

Your generosity supports events and education that help create healthy, strong, welcoming communities inside and outside the church. Communities where no one is left out. Where we are all seen as children of God.

Let’s build a world where everyone belongs. Make your Mission & Service gift for belonging today.

Prayer

God of all Creation, we are blessed to be a part of this community. As we gather, make us mindful of those outside these walls. Draw our awareness to those who confront barriers of all kinds and help us to see people with the eyes of Christ. Encourage us to find ways to remove obstacles to the grace and belonging we witness in Jesus. Open us to the places we are specifically called to serve and give us the resources we need along the way. Amen.                              

Hymn: In Christ There is no East or West -   VU #606

1 In Christ there is no east or west,

in him no south or north,

but one great family of love

throughout the whole wide earth.

2 In him shall true hearts everywhere

their high communion find;

his service is the golden cord

close binding humankind.

3 Join hands, then, peoples of the faith,

whate'er your race may be;

all children of the living God

are surely kin to me.

4 In Christ now meet both east and west,

in him meet south and north:

all Christ-like souls are one in him

throughout the whole wide earth.

Glory to God 

whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine. Glory to God from generation to generation, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessing  -   Iona Community

If you are with another person, you’re invited to bless each other, taking every other line.

One:      The Creator’s blessing be yours on your road, on your journey,  guiding you, cherishing you.

A-M:      The Son’s blessing be yours, wine and water, bread and stories,  feeding you, challenging you.

N-Z:       The Spirit’s blessing be yours, wind and fire, joy and wisdom,           comforting you, disturbing you.

All:        The Angel’s blessing be yours, on your house, on your living, guarding you, encouraging you. Let us walk together, a community on a journey, sustained in God’s blessing. Amen!

One:      Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:        Thanks be to God! Alleluia!